1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to window structures, and particularly to a safety captain window structure for trucks, such as pickup trucks, which prevents debris and similar solid matter located on the truck bed from ingressing into the passenger cab of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trucks, such as flatbed or pickup trucks, have for many years been optionally provided with captain windows. A captain window is located at the rear of the truck's passenger cab, directly behind the heads of the driver and passenger. Typically, a captain window opens by means of one or two laterally sliding glass window members, which when opened allow ventilation of the cab with air from the rear of the truck.
When flatbed or pickup trucks are equipped with conventional captain windows, however, a serious problem arises when the truck is driven with the captain window in the open position. Specifically, when the truck is driven as such, light weight solid matter or debris located on the bed of the truck is literally sucked into the cab of the truck, frequently striking the heads of the occupants and otherwise interfering with safe operation of the vehicle. Aluminum cans, hay, dirt, paper and other lightweight sold materials often present on the beds of such trucks are forced into the truck cab at great speeds, when a truck carrying these materials is driven with its captain window in the open position. Also, rainwater enters through an open captain window of conventional design.
The above-described aerodynamic phenomenon was apparently not contemplated by the original designers and manufacturers of captain windows, and to date there remains no acceptable solution to this problem. In fact, a large number of truck owners simply never use their captain windows as a result of the inconvenience and danger caused by the entry of lightweight materials and rainwater into the cab of their truck during operation of the same. In addition, conventional captain windows tend to greatly increase the noise within the truck cab, which further reduces use of conventional captain windows by truck owners.
In the past, automobiles have been provided with screens in order to keep out insects and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,168, Leverence, discloses a foldable and packagable window screen for a motor vehicle which is said to prevent the admission of insects and dust into the vehicle interior. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, screen material 1 is mounted on the adjacent sides of automobile door 3 or the body wall by means of a sheet-like fabric or flexible and foldable composition frame 4, which is permanently joined to the screen material and is provided with adhesive sides 5 that are disposed outwardly and laterally of the marginal portions of the screen material. In this fashion, the screen window is said to be easily removable from the window opening.
U.S Pat. No. 2,625,217, Spiller et al., relates to window screens, and particularly, to a screen for automobile windows. One disclosed function of the screen is to exclude insects from the interior of the automobile. The screen includes a deformable plastic frame 30 which allows the screen to be inserted into the window opening in order to be secured thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,643,711, Smith, illustrates a flexible screen adapted to be removable and conveniently mounted in the window openings of an automobile in order to close such openings against the ingress of flies and other pests, while providing ventilation to the interior of the vehicle. The disclosed structure includes spring coils 20 and 22 which connect the top of the device to the side members and bias these members against the window channel to secure the screen to the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,702,596, Morrow, illustrates an automobile window screen which is said to be capable of fitting window openings of different sizes and shapes. As shown in FIG. 2, the window screen 14 is formed of a continuous resilient metal strip which is transversely curved. Adjacent to one end of the strip which comprises border frame 20 is secured an open loop 24, having space therein to permit the opposite end 26 of the strip 20 to be inserted through the loop as shown. By drawing more or less of end 26 of the strip 20 through this loop, the area enclosed by the loop may be varied. An adjustable abutment 27 is secured adjacent to the end 26 of the strip by a set-screw 28.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,121, Maidhof et al., discloses a sliding screen for an automobile window that is also said to be adapted to fit different automobiles and different shaped window openings. Modification for windows having various forward contours or inclinations is provided by cutting or trimming the end of one of the slide screens, or by the pivotal adjustment of an auxiliary sheet to give the screen an inclined attaching edge beyond its regular straight edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,717,036, Harris, discloses an automobile window screen for keeping out mosquitos and other insects which consists of a flexible mosquito netting 16 having a flexible elastic cord 17 hemmed into the upper edge 18 and the side edges (19, 20) of the screen. Four magnets (22-25) are provided near the juncture of the bottom and sides, and near the center of the screen, for purposes of securing the screen to the automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,135, Sutton, illustrates a screen for an automobile window that is designed to remain stable whether the car is stationary or in operation, and which is said to be capable of being folded and rolled into a small package of such size that it may be stored in the glove compartment of the automobile. The screen appears to be secured in position by means of a plurality of clips (6a-6g).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,458, Lazarek, is directed to a demountable car window screen which is secured to the automobile by means of Velcro strips mounted around the periphery of the screen.
The foregoing efforts do not provide an acceptable solution to the difficulties encountered with the use of captain windows. For example, the above-described screens which use magnets as a securing means cannot be satisfactorily secured to captain windows, and as such are easily jarred out of place. The detachable automobile screen structures discussed above do not satisfactorily prevent the ingress of lightweight materials, nor are such structures adapted for modification depending upon the type of materials to be transported in the truck bed. In addition, many of the automobile screen designs disclosed in the prior art are too complex and/or aesthetically unattractive to present a commercially viable solution to the problems associated with truck captain windows.